ARCHIE COMICS #19-22 (on newsstands February 1946 - August 1946)
Bill Vigoda's art was starting to look more sure of itself, and the stories were becoming more concise and starting to read like the Archie Comics we'd know and love for years. Editorially they were still decades away from avoiding THESE type of stereotypes!
(from Archie #19 March/April 1946)
Poor Mr. Weatherbee would get a slight reprieve for a number of issues from Archie's hijinks (Archie's Dad had it rough during this time), but Betty and Veronica would make up for it, as he became the target of their solo story mishaps.
(from Archie #19 March/April 1946)
Al McLean penciled a Betty and Veronica story in Archie #20 (Vigoda inks) and an Archie story at the end of the issue that, well...
Yeah, it was a different time and place (heck it was 67 years ago!) and kids back then would go down to their local water hole, strip down butt naked and go swimming. You just... didn't expect to see it in an Archie Comic!
(from Archie #20 May/June 1946)
Or that it'd be Archie who was butt naked! Eeek!
(from Archie #20 May/June 1946)
And what the hey, nothing like the good natured fun of your friends jumping you, tearing off all of your clothes, and tossing you in the water. I guess if Betty and Veronica were doing this I wouldn't be complaining!
(from Archie #20 May/June 1946)
Meanwhile in Pep Comics, a dashing young artist by the name of Harry Lucey got to work on Archie for the first time, inking Al McLean's pencils, quite possibly helping give Veronica a look that Bob Montana would adopt for the newspaper strip...
Of course, Harry Lucey would go on to become the regular artist on Archie Comics for many years, and one of my personal favorites!
(from Pep Comics #57 June 1946)
Vigoda was back on schedule for the next couple of issues, handling all of the art chores, though Archie #22 would end with the first 6 page Bob Montana story since he'd left for the war.
He'd go on to do the newspaper strip for the next 30+ years or so, which you can read about here: http://undercoverarchie.blogspot.com/2013/09/blog-post_30.html
Meanwhile, Vigoda would introduce 'Theodosius', a Dilton prototype:
(from Archie #22 September/October 1946)
As well as 'Muscles Maguire', an obvious 'Moose' prototype:
(from Archie #22 September/October 1946)
Vigoda was also doing the Betty and Veronica solo features in Archie Comics, and here, Betty ends up in her underwear for no apparent reason....
(from Archie #22 September/October 1946)
For two panels in a row!
(from Archie #22 September/October 1946)
Yes, it was a different era!
Find all of these stories here:
Different era indeed! I for one didn't know people stripped down to their god gave me's to go swimming back in the old days! And B&V are still smokin' but back then, damn! My wife is already jealous of them. If I had copies from 1946 laying around, she would probably make me pick between Archie Comics and her! Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteYeah, they certainly weren't shy about presenting B&V as young women bursting with sexuality! I know Archie Comics, in my lifetime, has always presented itself as family friendly fun, but back in the day, it's pretty clear there was more to it than that!
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